没有
méi yǒu
No 10 · trad. 沒有
没有 (méiyǒu) is the most common way to say "no" when you mean "don't have" or "there isn't." It's frequently used as a standalone negative response to questions about possession or existence.
When to use it
Neutral. While 没有 is a direct "no" for possession or existence, for other types of "no" (like "no, it's not right" or "no, I won't"), you'll use different words or negative sentence structures. When someone says 没有, a common reply might be 为什么 (wèishénme, "why?").
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "MAY-yoh." The first syllable has a falling tone, and the second is often said lightly (neutral tone).
Other ways to say it
- 不bùnot (general negative particle, usually before verbs/adjectives)
- 不是bú shìno, it's not (used to negate 是, often a standalone "no")
- 不对bú duìno, that's wrong (used to negate 对, often a standalone "no")
Examples
你有没有钱？没有。
nǐ yǒu méi yǒu qián ？ méi yǒu 。
Do you have money? No (I don't).
这里有咖啡吗？没有。
zhè lǐ yǒu kā fēi ma ？ méi yǒu 。
Is there coffee here? No (there isn't).
我没有时间去。
wǒ méi yǒu shí jiān qù 。
I have no time to go.
Pro tip: Unlike English, there isn't one single word for "no" in Chinese. Choose 没有 (méiyǒu) for "don't have" or "there isn't," and use 不 (bù) to negate other verbs/adjectives (e.g., 不去 "not go," 不好 "not good"), or 不是 (búshì) to say "it's not."
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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